Tag Archives: medicine

Hong Kong – Two Fatal Cases – Vibrio vulnificus

Posted on June 26, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Center for Health Protection

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is investigating two fatal cases of Vibrio vulnificus infection, with one of them causing necrotising fasciitis (flesh-eating disease).
The case of necrotising fasciitis caused by Vibrio vulnificus affected a 48-year-old man with underlying medical conditions who lived in Shenzhen
His clinical diagnosis was necrotising fasciitis and bilateral above-knee amputations were performed. His condition continued to deteriorate and he passed away yesterday (June 19).
The patient’s blood culture grew Vibrio vulnificus and his tissue and wound swabs also detected Vibrio vulnificus.
 The case of Vibrio vulnificus infection involved a 61-year-old man with chronic illness who lived in Yuen Long. He developed fever since June 16 and loss of consciousness on June 17. He was admitted to Pok Oi Hospital on the same day. His condition deteriorated and he passed away on June 18.
His blood specimen taken during his admission yielded Vibrio vulnificus.
 The CHP’s investigation revealed that the patient had consumed raw mantis shrimp

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Vibrio, Vibrio vulnificans

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Australia- Leg Ham Recall – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on June 23, 2012 by | Leave a comment

FSANZ

Marchetti Smallgoods has recalled Leg Ham (sliced) from small independent supermarkets in Victoria due to Listeria monocytogenes  contamination. Listeria may cause illness in pregnant women and their unborn babies, the elderly and people with low immune systems. Consumers should not eat this product. Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, FSANZ, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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US Shigella Outbreak Source Unknown

Posted on June 23, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Shigella Blog

Public health officials are investigating an unusually large outbreak of shigellosis, a bacterial gastrointestinal illness that has sickened 25 people in Onondaga County.

The county Health Department announced there have been 15 laboratory confirmed cases and another 10 probable cases of shigellosis. More than half the cases involve children. Two of the people infected have been hospitalised and some others have been treated in emergency rooms and urgent care centers, said Dr. Cynthia Morrow, Onondaga County’s health commissioner.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Shigella

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Hong Kong – Shigella Alert

Posted on June 17, 2012 by | Leave a comment

DOH Hong Kong 

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (June 14) cautioned members of the public against bacillary dysentery infection.

The CHP received an increased number of bacillary dysentery notifications recently, with the number of cases reaching six in June so far, compared to monthly notifications ranging from one to five cases between January and May 2012.

A CHP spokesman said: “Preliminary investigation revealed that five of the recent six patients were caused by Shigella sonnei, and they all lived in Tuen Mun.”

“These five cases were two males and three females, aged between six and 14. They presented with fever, diarrhoea and vomiting from June 3 to June 6. All of them had sought medical consultation. Three of them required hospital admission. They are all in stable condition.”

“Investigation is underway to ascertain or exclude a common source of infection,” the spokesman said.

Bacillary dysentery is an intestinal infection caused by a group of Shigella bacteria which can be found in human gut. It is transmitted directly by faecal material of a patient/carrier or indirectly through contaminated food and water. It occurs more commonly amongst young children. In Hong Kong, more cases were recorded in summer months.

The spokesman advised members of the public to maintain good personal and environmental hygiene to avoid infection. They should:

* wash hands properly with soap and water before eating or handling food, and after toilet or changing diapers;
* purchase fresh food from reliable sources, do not patronize illegal hawkers; and
* seek medical attention when they have symptoms of fever and diarrhea, especially bloody diarrhea.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Shigella

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US Dietary Supplement Recalled – Salmonella

Posted on June 8, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Oregon Live

A company in Ferndale, Wash., announced a recall Thursday of certain bottles of a liquid dietary supplement that could be contaminated with salmonella.

Botanical Laboratories is pulling a limited number of its Digestive 3-in-1 Health supplement after a supplier said one of the ingredients could be contaminated with the bacteria, which can be fatal in young children and frail and elderly people. The supplier, Corn Products International, said its Purimune — galacto-oligosaccharide, a soluble fibre shown to be helpful in digestion — had tested positive for salmonella.

The recall affects 38 bottles of the 33.8 oz. size and 275 bottles of the 16 oz. size of the liquid dietary supplement.

The bottles were sold nationally in retail stores and online after May 1.

FDA Recall Link

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, FDA, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Salmonella

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Worldwide Recall – Tempeh Starter Yeast Culture – Salmonella

Posted on May 24, 2012 by | Leave a comment

FDA

Indonesianfoodmart.com of Rockville, MD, is recalling all packages of “Tempeh Starter Yeast” because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhoea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

The recalled ” Tempeh Starter Yeast “and “Super Starter Yeast” were distributed nationwide and internationally through direct mail orders. The product was also distributed to the following areas: Australia, Canada, Slovenia, New Zealand, Brunei, Darussalam, Poland and Croatia.

The product comes in sealed, clear plastic packages marked with a small computer printed label. The following sizes were sold: 30gm, 50gm, 250 gm, and 1000 gm

Several illnesses have been reported to date that may be in connection with this problem

 

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, FDA, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, Salmonella

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Scotland – Four Hospital Deaths – Norovirus

Posted on May 15, 2012 by | Leave a comment

BBC News

Four patients being treated for diarrhoea and vomiting at a hospital in the west of Scotland have died.

Two people suffering from the norovirus stomach bug died just before the weekend at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said there had now been another two deaths. The deaths were caused by underlying medical conditions.

Strict infection control measures have been put in place.

Eight wards at the hospital are not admitting new patients because of the bug.

 

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Virus, Microbiology, Norovirus, outbreak, Pathogen

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New Zealand Hummus Recall – Listeria

Posted on May 4, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The Press NZ

A popular brand of hummus has been recalled because it may contain a bug which can cause severe diarrhoea and vomiting. Life Health Food (LHF) announced yesterday that they were recalling Lisa’s Organic Hummus Roasted Garlic dip with an expiry date of May 11 2012, because it had tested positive for listeria during routine testing. Listeria is a bacteria which can cause the serious illness listeriosis, symptoms of which can include fever, headache, diarrhoea and vomiting.

About 300 tubs of the hummus have already been sold, virtually all in the South Island.

There have been no reports of illness as of yet, but consumers who felt unwell after eating the product were advised to seek medical advice.

 

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Listeria Subverts Immune Response

Posted on May 1, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Science Daily

Listeria, one of the most deadly causes of bacterial food poisoning, subverts a normally protective immune response to spread its infection more effectively, according to new research at National Jewish Health. Immunologists Laurel Lenz, PhD, Peter Henson, PhD, and their colleagues report online April 26, 2012, in the journal Immunity that production of nitric oxide (NO) by activated macrophages, which is normally thought of as an infection-fighting response, actually helps Listeria monocytogenes to more efficiently disseminate between infected and neighboring uninfected cells.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Poisoning, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research

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Norovirus at Tennis Tournament

Posted on April 18, 2012 by | 3 comments

mydesert.com

A highly contagious stomach flu contracted through touch was the cause of some cases of nausea, diarrhea and chills that afflicted players and staff at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in March.

The illness knocked several top players out of the world-class BNP event at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

“Some individuals were tested and we did have some positive results for norovirus,” said Barbara Cole, director of disease control for the Riverside County Department of Health.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Virus, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

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